Plastic Free Waters Partnership Meeting in NYC Last Week

Fifth graders from PS15 in Brooklyn showcased their EPA-grant funded project on litter cleanup at the Plastic Free Waters Partnership meeting. 

Clean Ocean Action is part of a larger regional coalition called the “Plastic Free Waters Partnership” (PFWP) which aims to reduce plastic and microplastic debris in all waterbodies primarily in the NJ/NY region.  COA leads two PFWP workgroups focused on Straws and Microplastics in addition to being on the steering committee.  Last week, COA’s Alison McCarthy, Catie Tobin, and Dr. Swarna Muthukrishnan attended PFWP’s first meeting for 2018, which was hosted by EPA Region II Headquarters in NYC.  The meeting showcased an EPA-grant funded project on litter cleanup and characterization conducted by a group of fifth graders from PS15 in Brooklyn.  This was followed by a panel discussion on Environmental Justice issues in debris management and other work group sessions to discuss ongoing activities and plan the next steps for 2018.